Switch-stand.



W. W. ALLEN..

Y SWITCH STAND.

APPLIOATIOH FILED 00T.7, 1901.

PATENTED AUG. 4, 1908. f

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- UNITED wILiLIM w. ALLEN, oF CINCINNATI, oIIIo.

sgi/tiras PATENT onirica.

' SWITCH-STAND.

' the fol owing is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of switch stands m which the throwing lever hes parallel to the track, necessitating the use of a;`- gear and segment to transmit the motion to throw the switch, the object being to eiliciently operatively connect the segment with the switch in such a manner as to allow the operating mechanism of the switch stand to be inclosed and fully protected from the weather.

My invention consists in a segment rotatably mounted in a stand, a gear adapted to rotate with the throwing lever and to transmit the motion of the throwing lever directly to the segment, slots in the vbottom of the base, and studs on the segment extending downward through the slots, these studs being adapted to be connected with the switch by means of a suitable connecting bar.

M f invention also consists in the parts and in tie details of construction and arrangements of parts, as will hereinafter be more fully described and claimed.

In the drawing: Figure 1 is a side elevation, and Fig. 2 is a plan view of a switch stand embodying m Invention. Fig. 3 is a cross section on the ine of Fig. 2. Fig.- 4 is a detail perspective view of the segment and its studs. Big. 5 is a section on the line g/-y of Fig. 4. i

As I prefer to embody my invention, the base of the switch stand comprises the lower casing 1, to which is secured the upper casinor 2 by means of suitable bolts 3 and 4, the bozlts 3 having their heads inelosed in recesses 5 in the side members 6 of the lower casing 1, so that the side members 6 may be secured to the slcepeis 7 by means of spikes engaging within the recesses S, as is usual in the construction of this class of switch stands. The bolts -1 take through lips 9 on the upper and lower easing, and these lips 9 also serve as bearings` for the horizontal shaft 1() which extends within and without the base with its center on the. line. of contact of the. upper and lower casings. Centrally of the base, a vertical shaft 11 is journaled in the top of the upper easing and in the bottom of the lower casing, and, adjacent to the bearing of the i Specification of Letters Patent. i Applicationitiled October 7, 1907. Serial No.'396,140.

means of a `Patented Aug. 4, 1908.

vertical shaft 1l, a bearing lug is provided on the under side of the top of the upper casing, extending downward to form an additional journal bearing for the longitudinal shaft 10, the shaft being reduced where it is journaled in this lng 12 to form a Shoulder bearing against the lug to limit lengthwise movement of the shaft in one direction.

The bevel gear 13 is mounted on this shaft between the inner side of the base and the lug 12, being rigidly secured to the shaft by pin 14 passing diametrically through its hub 15 and through the shaft 10. This gear 13 is also provided with a hub. 16 on the side opposite Ato the hub l5, to bear against the inner side\`of the base and limit lengthwise movement of the. shaft 1t) in the other direction. Outside of the base, the throwing lever 17 is rigidly mounted on the shaft 10 by means of a key 18, and pin 18. Mounted on the vertical shaft 11 and sup` portino` this vertical shaft by means of a pin 19, is the segment 20 which beats on the uper side of the bottom of the base with its uib 21. This segment is provided with gear teeth 22 by means of which the gear v13 may mesh with it, and also forms a double-throw crank by means of its yoke, which yoke is provided with studs 24 and 25 located dia- Inetrically opposite with respect to the center of the vertical shaft 11.

construction of switch stands, in order to ada t the switch stand for use on either side of t e track. These studs 24 and 25 are rividly secured in the yoke 23 by means of their rivet heads 26 and 27, respectively, and extend downward from the lower side of the yoke through slots 28 and 29, respectively, in the bottom of the base. 'Fliese slots conform to the arc of reciprocation of the studs 2-1 and 25, and, as shown in the drawing, are made of somewhat greater width than is necessary to ive clearance to the studsl in order to adapt them for use with cranks of dill'erent radii, which are used with switches having diflerent ranges of movement in their operation. Howevcr, the width of these slots may be only sullicient to give the proper clearance to the studs, and it is desirable to limit the size of these slots in order that the opjening in the base may be as small as possi le.

Below the lower side of the bottom of the base, the studs 24 and 25 are reduced to form wrists and 31, respectively, upon which This double-e throw crank is provided, as is usual in the may be secured a suitable connecting rod 32 :c means. of a strap 33 and bolts 34. be understood, this connecting rod will be attached to either of the studs as the case may require. Thus a single-throw crank with one stud and one slot is sufficient. for the vtends through an opening in the side of the base toward the track, this opening beine' of sufiicient size to allow the connecting rot to ming in its operative movement as actua-ted by the segment. Such an opening in the side of the switch stand forms a means of entrance for water and snow which may collect insuflicient quantity, and, under certain conditions of the weather, freeze sufficiently hard to effectually prevent the o eration of the switch, or to allow only parta operation of the switch withl the consequence of breaking some of the operating parts. In some instances, this collection of water and snow may, by freezing, burst the base or casing of the switch stan In order to obviate the above inconveniences, switch stands have been constructed with the sides completely closed and provided with a vertical shaft upon which is rigidly mounted the segment inside and inclosedin the base, with a separate crank rigidly mounted on' the vertical shaft below and outside the base, to which crank is attached the connecting rod. In such a. construction, the bottom, as well as the sides of the base may be completely closed. However, this construction has proved unsatisfactory owing-to the fact. that the entire strain incidental to the operation of the switch, mustbe transmitted from the segment within the base to the v rtical shaft, and from the vertical shaft to the crank outside the base. Such a construction requires extremely secure attachment of the segmentand crank to the vertical shaft, it being found in practice that the pins passing through the segment. and shaft, and through the crank and shaft,

y are sheared apart. in use, leaving the switch inoperative. As a bet-ter means of securing the segment or clank, or both, to the vertical shaft, the vertical shaft has been forged square and square holes provided in the seg- `ent and crank. The production of a switch stand of such a construction proves impracticable owing to the necessity of obtaining a. very accurate fitbetween the square forged part of the vertical shaft and the square holes in the segment and crank, in order to obviate lost motion of these parts. Such a construction, when made sufliciently accurate, is disproportionately expensive.

Also, although a switch stand may be conin the top, sides or bottom, for the passage of the operating parts, except the openings for the journal bearings ofthe shafts,it has been found that water will enter the switch stand through the last mentioned openings, and if there be no outlet in the bottom ofthe base, the water will collect' inside the base, and may freeze, with the results above linentioned. It will therefore be seen that it is desirable to have the connecting rod attached directly to the segment without the use of the vertical shaft to transmit the force required to operate the switch, so t-hatthis vertical shaft may be relieved of the strain incidental thereto and allowed to act merely as ythe pivot for the segment. It is also desirable to provide a drain openine of limited size iu the bottoni of the base. y utilizing As will g structed as above, without openings, either such a drain opening to permit a stud on the segment to extend below the bottom of the base for operative connection to the switch-- plished, allowing the connection between the segment and the vertical shaft to be coinparatively light, since its only dut is to cause4 the rotation of thevertical sliaft to operate the target 35. The radius of the 0Fear on the horizontal shaft being less, than t iat of the segment, the difliculty due to the shearing of the pin 14 ill not be encountered owing to the greater mechanical advantage present in the o ieration of the horizontal shaft, than would be present in the operation of the vertical shaft in the same manner. The greatest diilicult heretofore encountered in the use of the hor1- zontal shaft consists in its unsteadiness duc to lthe fact that it has only been provided heretofore with the single journal bearing where it extends outside the base, and which difficulty I obviate by providing the addi` tional journal bearing 12 within the base to 'receive and support the inner end of the horizoutal shaft 10. In the construction here described, it will be noted that the relative size and location of the slots 28 and 29 in the l base allow a substantial rib 36 to be formed, carrying the lower journal bearing of the vertical shaft, this rib extending in a direct-ion perpendicular to the track, which is the direetion of greatest strain on this part of the switch stand in operation. This rib, as well as the other parts of the base adjacent to the slots, is left smooth in order to facilitate the drainage of the base.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a sm'tch stand, a crank mounted to reciprocate on a horizontal plane, means for by which it is adapted to be operatively conand casing for said crank and its operating means, anda slot in the bottom of said base through which the stud extends topp@ tivelyT connect with the switch, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

- 2.' In a switch stand, a base, a segment mounted in said base and adapted to'reeipro cate in a horizontal plane, a gear journaled at right angles to the plane of reciprocation of said segment and in mesh with said segment, means for reciprocating said gear, a stud extending downward from said segment and a slotv in the bottom of said base through which said stud extends to operatively connect with the switch.

3. In a switch stand, a base, a crank, a

stud on said crank, a slot in the bottom of said base through which said stud extends to operatively connect with the switch, means `for rotating said crank, a target shaft, and a. connection between said crank and said target shaft whereby it is adapted to rotate with said crank, and whereby the connection bctween said crank and said target shaft is relieved of the strain incidental to the operation of the switch, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

4. In a switch stand, a base, a segment mounted in said base and adapted to reciprocate in a horizontal plane, a vertical target shaft, a connection between said segment and said target shaft, a gear journaled at right angles to the plane of reciprocation of said segment and in mesh with said segment, means for reciprocating said gear, a stud extending downward from said segment, and a slot in the bottom of said base through which said stud extends, to operatively connect with the switch wherebv the connection between said segment and said target shaft is relieved of the strain incidental to the operation of the switch, and whereby the opening for operatively connecting the segment to theY switch is confined to the bottom'of said base, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

5. In a switch stand, a base forming a cas'- if'a' vert-ical shaft, a segment pivoted on said vertical shaft to reciprocate in a horizontal plane, a horizontal shaft extending with-- out the casing formed by said base and having a journal bearing therein, an additional journal bearing for said horizontal shaft within said casing adjacent to said vertical shaft, agear en said horizontal shaft in inesh with said segment, a stud on said segment extending downward therefrom, a slot 1n said base through which said stud extends to operatively connect with the switch, a connection betweensaid segment and said vertical shaft. wherebyr they may reciprocate together, a connect-ion between said "ear and said horizontal shaft, whereby saii gear may be r0- tated to reciprocate said segment, the connection between said gear and said horizontal shaft being adapted to transmit the strain incidental to the operation of said switch, and the connection between said segment and said vertical shaft being relieved of said strain, substantially as and for the purposes specified..

6. In a switch stand, a base, switch oper.- I

ating mechanism mounted in and inclose( by said base, slots in the bottom of said base adapted to allow the extension of part of said operating mechanism outside the base, and operative connection with the switch, said slots being ada )ted to form drain openings in said base, and being so proportioned and arranged relative to each ot 1er that a rib is formed in the bottom of said base extending in the line of direction of the greatest strain on said base in the operation of said switch.

WILLIAM W. ALLEN. 7i tnesses Janes N. RAnsEY, CLARENCE Pnnnnw. 

